Epilepsy Therapy Project to Present Lifetime Accelerator Award to Harvey Kupferberg, Ph.D., for Contributions to the Epilepsy Field

Kupferberg to be Honored at Third Biennial Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference 2012 in San Francisco February 2-4

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Epilepsy Therapy Project (ETP), a non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate new therapies for people living with epilepsy and seizures and the parent organization of epilepsy.com, today announced that Harvey Kupferberg, Ph.D., has been named the recipient of the ETP Lifetime Accelerator Award in recognition of his commitment and contributions to the field of epilepsy and to the people affected by it.  He will be honored at the Third Biennial Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference 2012, being held on February 2-4, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco.

Dr. Kupferberg served for many years as Chief of the Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Epilepsy Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health.  He played an essential role in the NINDS Antiepileptic Drug Development (ADD) program which conducts preclinical studies of promising new drugs for the treatment of epilepsy. The program supports drug screening that significantly shortens industry's time for developing new antiepileptic drugs.  Kupferberg developed the program, which has screened thousands of compounds for their potential in treating seizures. 

"Harvey has rightfully been called the father of antiepileptic drug development," said Jacqueline A. French, M.D., Professor, NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and Vice President of Research, ETP.  "Through the NINDS antiepileptic drug discovery program that he led for decades, a number of important new therapies were added to the armamentarium, including felbamate, topiramate, lacosamide and rufinamide, as well as the newest AED ezogabine."

Kupferberg earned his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1955, a doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California in 1959, and his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of California at San Francisco in 1962.  He first came to NIH as a postdoctoral staff fellow, joined the University of Minnesota as an instructor and assistant professor in pharmacology, and then returned to NIH, joining NINDS as a pharmacologist in the Epilepsy Branch of the institute's extramural Division of Convulsive, Developmental and Neuromuscular Disorders. He became chief of the preclinical pharmacology section in 1982.

"Harvey's many contributions are notable.  But his heartfelt passion and enthusiasm for promising individual compounds in the epilepsy pipeline, his energy and sense of urgency, are inspiring to everyone in our community," said Warren Lammert, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Epilepsy Therapy Project.

The Epilepsy Therapy Project Lifetime Accelerator Award was recently established to honor physicians, scientists, industry leaders and other individuals who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to bringing new therapies to people living with epilepsy.

The Third Biennial Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference 2012
The Third Biennial Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference 2012 will be held on February 2-4, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco.  This conference has earned recognition as the leading showcase for the most promising epilepsy therapies in development from entrepreneurs, startups and established companies dedicated to pioneering and advancing drugs, biologics, technologies and devices for epilepsy. The 2012 conference has been expanded to three days to accommodate the unveiling of  the "Shark Tank" competition finalists' concepts and product candidates, and to include a day for people with epilepsy, family members and healthcare advocates focused on the importance and challenges of developing new therapies for epilepsy and seizure conditions. 

For additional information or to register for the Third Biennial Epilepsy Therapy Pipeline conference, please visit http://www.epilepsy.com/etp/pipeline2012.  Admission to Family Day (Day 3) of the conference is free to the general public.  Registration is required.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are still available.  Please contact [email protected] or 540.687.8077, ext.100.

About the Epilepsy Therapy Project 
The Epilepsy Therapy Project is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate ideas into therapies for people living with epilepsy and seizures.  Founded in 2002 by a group of parents, distinguished physicians, and researchers, the Epilepsy Therapy Project supports the commercialization of new therapies through direct grants and investments in promising academic and commercial projects.  For more information about epilepsy, epilepsy treatment and the epilepsy pipeline, please visit our website, www.epilepsy.com or call 540.687.8077.  

SOURCE Epilepsy Therapy Project